Friends of Kennicott was founded in 1988 by local Kennicott and McCarthy residents and other Alaskans interested in preserving the cultural and natural resources of the Historic Kennicott Mining District. Today, Friends of Kennicott continues to carry out this goal by assisting the National Park Service's (NPS) preservation efforts. We advocate for a "light touch" management approach to retain the area's rustic character and seek to provide a safe and rewarding experience for residents and visitors alike.
Our first major accomplishment was to raise state and federal funds to perform emergency stabilization on the nine Kennicott Mill Site buildings. Between 1991 and 1994 a local contractor and a 100% local crew repaired roofs and foundations to stabilize key structures. Realizing the benefits public ownership would bring, Friends began to lobby for NPS acquisition of the mill site. These efforts succeeded in 1998 when a federal appropriation resulted in the acquisition of the mill site and mines, and paved the way for creation of the Kennecott National Historic Landmark.
With congress specifically supporting a community based partnership concept for management of Kennicott in the legislative record for the appropriation, Friends of Kennicott actively worked with the local community and the NPS to realize a shared vision for the future. Friends facilitated planning for the cooperative management of Kennicott by the park and local non-profits through multi-stake holder planning meetings and the creation of planning documents. Friends secured state and federal funds for the restoration of the Recreation Hall, which was completed in 2002 with matching funds from the Rasmuson Foundation and others. From 2002 to 2009 the Kennecott Recreation Hall was co-managed by Friends of Kennicott in partnership with the NPS, and its mining era purpose continues today as a space dedicated to community use.  

Today, Friends of Kennicott is looking to broaden its horizons, and better serve our original mission statement:  

Friends of Kennicott is a locally-based organization established to assist the National Park Service’s efforts in preserving and managing the historic resources of the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark in a way that maintains the character of Kennicott and McCarthy for the visiting public and resident alike.

Friends of Kennicott is revisiting its core purposes, including 1) enhancing connections between the McCarthy/Kennicott community and the National Landmark, 2) helping maintain Kennicott’s ghost town character in the context of a thriving bush community, and 3) facilitating other non-profit partnership opportunities with the National Park Service.

As a first step, Friends of Kennicott has transferred non-NPS Recreation Hall management to the Wrangell Mountains Center (WMC), a local non-profit dedicated to fostering understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of wildlands and mountain culture in Alaska.  With year-around staffing, the WMC can work more actively with the community and the NPS on day-to-day Recreation Hall operations, including marketing and facilitating increased community use. With this transition, Friends of Kennicott will devote more energy to tracking overall stabilization efforts and working with the NPS, local community, and statewide and national organizations interested in mining history and historic preservation to implement the light touch/partnership vision for Kennicott that provided the foundation consensus foundation for NPS acquisition.  

Highlights of Friends of Kennicott history, activities and accomplishments 

    Before 1988: McCarthy landowners and businesses, miners, historical preservation advocates, conservationists, and tourist-related folks brainstorm how to save Kennicott’s deteriorating buildings.

    1988-1989: Friends of Kennicott, Historic Preservation Fund, formed to facilitate emergency stabilization of historic buildings in the Kennicott Mill site and eventual NPS acquisition. Alaska Legislature passes resolution in favor of NPS acquisition of the Kennicott Mill site.

    1990: Friends of Kennicott officially chartered with the following Mission: “to preserve, restore and render available to the public the historic mine building located at Kennecott.”  Kennicott named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “List of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.”  Joseph Sax report: Keeping Special Places Special: McCarthy, Kennicott and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park – A Great Challenge, A Unique Opportunity.

    1992: Both Congress and the Alaska Legislature appropriate funding for emergency stabilization.  NPS and Friends of Kennicott agree on pre-acquisition construction priorities under a Friends contractor.  NPS begins asbestos clean-up with funding from Kennecott Copper Corporation.

    1993: Friends of Kennicott receives two national awards:  “Take Pride in America,” and a Department of the Interior “Volunteer Service Award.”

    1994: Prepared “A Proposal for Ownership & Management of the Kennicott Property: Protecting the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Alaska’s Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park.”

    1995-1997: Acquisition discussions ramp up with additional assistance from The Conservation Fund.  Friends of Kennicott receives a national Partnership Leadership Award.

    1998: NPS acquires Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark with dedicated federal appropriation.

    1999-2000: Reports and Plans: Partnership Management Strategy prepared for Friends, NPS and State Office of History & Archeology, June 1999. NPS Interim Management Plan (2000), and Vision 2000 (Mike Loso).  Friends adopts new Mission Statement.

    2002 to 2009: Recreation Hall completed with matching funds from Rasmuson Foundation and others. Recreation Hall Management in partnership with NPS. 

2010: Friends of Kennicott revitalizes! Revisits its core values, and looks to focus on tracking overall stabilization efforts and working with the NPS, local community, and statewide and national organizations to implement the light touch/partnership vision for Kennicott that provided the consensus foundation for NPS acquisition. Recreation Hall management transferred to locally based non-profit Wrangell Mountains Center. 
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